


Mine

by Sulluspark



Category: Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Everything is Beautiful and Nothing Hurts, Fluff, Getting Together, Greed and Ling have separate bodies, Humor, Kinda Greed-centric, M/M, Red String of Fate
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-23
Updated: 2020-08-23
Packaged: 2021-03-07 01:13:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,445
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26068516
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sulluspark/pseuds/Sulluspark
Summary: After that encounter, Greed begun to think less about it. Instead, he found himself imagining it: a life with his soulmate where he was free of the shackles that chained him to the darkness of the sewers. Someone to have and to hold, someone that was his and his only. He could already feel the avarice for which he was named brimming under his skin just at the thought of it, calling for its other half.Whyshouldn'the take what's rightfully his?
Relationships: Edward Elric/Envy, Greed/Ling Yao
Comments: 4
Kudos: 108
Collections: Alternate Universe Exchange 2020





	Mine

**Author's Note:**

  * For [TereziMakara](https://archiveofourown.org/users/TereziMakara/gifts).



Greed came into the world as all homunculi do - created, not born.

There was darkness for a brief moment before he blinked his eyes open to an old man with dulled blond locks. The man gives him a small smile and then, all at once, Greed is assaulted by a cacophony of sound, smell, light. The muted world suddenly becomes alive as the senses from his newly-made body start kicking in. He hears a groan and doesn't realize that it's coming from himself, not until a hand places itself on his head.

Greed feels the warmth of it, a feeling he knows inexplicably. The same lifeblood that had borne him courses through this man's veins. Power exuded from him despite his appearance suggesting otherwise.

"Greed, my son," the man says pleasantly, "Meet your siblings."

The hand is pulled away, allowing Greed to swivel his head to the other two in the room. They wear matching blank faces, but stare with just as much intensity as he does them.

And so he begins his life on the wrong foot - as a puppet on a string.

Greed's life changes when he wakes up to a thin red thread wrapped around his little finger.

This wasn't the first time he'd seen them. He'd come upon many humans with their strings trailing behind them on his many excursions to the surface, creating a complex red web wherever he went. It was the fact that the thing was attached to him that had him at a loss for words, and he was glad that none of the homunculi were here to see it. Envy would surely never let him hear the end of it.

As a homunculus, he'd never entertained the idea of having a red string, of having a soulmate be there at the end of it. Greed coveted it, of course, like he did with all things. He was Greed after all, he wanted everything the world could offer and more. Seeing the strings so starkly and casually displayed, attached to life forms that were beneath him, left a bad taste in his mouth.

But it seemed fate thought it had taunted him enough because it now deemed him fit for a soulmate. Nearly 200 years after his creation, he'd finally been given something he never believed he could have, and yet he didn't know if he'd do a damn thing about it.

His manic laughs could be heard throughout the sewers, but the others paid it no mind.

He finds himself contemplating it a lot, which, of course, gets the attention of his siblings. Greed wasn't exactly known for thinking things through.

"What's up with you?" Envy stands in front of him with his arms crossed.

"Nothing."

"Really? So you're being all mopey for no reason?"

"I'm not being mopey! Ever heard of thinking? I can do it too.”

Envy crowed. "Like you've ever used your brain in your entire life!"

Annoyed, Greed kicked some trash at Envy, who dodged it at the last second despite shaking with laughter. "Just fuck off, Envy. It's none of your business anyway."

And that was apparently the wrong thing to say, because Envy perked up curiously. "Oh, so there is something going on."

Greed mumbled curses under his breath.

"I'm not leaving until you tell me what's going on."

"Fine! I have a fucking soulmate!"

...

"You really think I'm that stupid to believe you?" Envy frowned.

"I'm not kidding. I never lie."

"Then you must be going crazy! We're homunculi, Greed. We're not normal; we don't _get_ soulmates!"

"That's too bad for you because fate gave me one."

Envy looked at him in exasperation before shaking his head. "Whatever," he hissed. "Come find me when you're ready to tell the truth."

After that encounter, Greed begun to think less about it. Instead, he found himself imagining it: a life with his soulmate where he was free of the shackles that chained him to the darkness of the sewers. Someone to have and to hold, someone that was his and his only. He could already feel the avarice for which he was named brimming under his skin just at the thought of it, calling for its other half.

Why shouldn't he take what's rightfully his?

It seemed an easy decision after he came to that realization. But how to do it was another matter entirely.

He felt restless for weeks trying to find a way out without the others noticing and telling Father. It definitely grated on Envy's nerves, who was still waiting for an explanation, while Pride merely gave him a look. Greed acting cagey wasn't anything new (though he probably never considered he'd actually leave - seriously, that brat was up Father's ass).

Finally, he decided to just go. He'd leave like he normally would and just never come back, especially not when his "family" would tear his soulmate apart if they found out. Greed would do everything in his power to make sure they didn't.

At one of the exits from the sewers, hands casually in his pockets like he wasn't anxious to escape, he was met with Lust.

She stepped out of the shadows when Greed spotted her. "I guess you're going to find your soulmate?"

Greed sputtered, trying to find an excuse. Lust smiled in amusement.

"Envy told me."

Greed stared at her in suspicion. "Envy didn't believe me. Why do you?"

"I don't, not entirely at least," Lust replied. "And I won't until I see it for myself. That's why I'm going to let you go."

Greed could cry in relief, but he kept his hackles raised because this all seemed too good to be true. Like he'd be let go for just a week before being dragged down here and never having any chance to go back, let alone see his soulmate.

"Just like that?"

Lust nodded.

"What's in it for you?"

"Why do you assume that I'm getting anything out of it?" Greed just gave her an unimpressed stare. "Fine, let's just say I'm invested in whether or not homunculi get soulmates."

Greed frowned, not having any choice but to accept it. "Sure," he waved his hand dismissively. "Can I go now?"

Lust acquiesced, stepping out of his way. Before he could leave, she spoke up again with an uncharacteristically soft tone. "Just be careful, Greed. If Father found out... you'll lose them before you even have the chance to understand what it's like to have them."

Greed's eyes hardened. "I know," and then he was gone.

And, despite knowing what would happen to her if Father ever caught wind of the fact she had let Greed go willingly, Lust didn't stop him.

In those first few weeks of being on the surface, Greed could think of little else but Lust's words, ringing in his ear like a warning. Though he'd successfully made it out, as none of his siblings seemed to be after him, he found himself hesitating. He was a monster, but was he so much of one that he'd drag his soulmate into his mess?

Weeks turned into months, which turned into years, and he still couldn't find the answer to that. He thought he was past all this thinking and inaction, but, for his soulmate's sake, he couldn't risk acting recklessly.

In the meantime, he found himself rescuing stray chimera. It seemed that having a soulmate had increased his patience and benevolence - or maybe he was lonely, though he'd never admit it - either way, he quickly found himself with a group and a hideout, fondly named the Devil's Nest.

It's where he is when he hears of a suit of armor with a soul. Intrigued, he asks Bido to find it.

He was technically already immortal, being a homunculus and possessing his Ultimate Shield on top of that, but he could still be killed. And the prospect of attaching his soul to something that could never actually die seemed one worthy of exploration, if only to give him reprieve from the never-ending thoughts of his soulmate. So when Bido comes back confirming its existence, he sends out the rest of his crew to capture it and bring it back to him.

It doesn't take long at all, and soon he finds himself standing in front of said suit of armor.

"So you're the one I've heard so much about," Greed paced in front of them. "There's nothing inside, is there?"

"Uhm... yes," the voice that responded was surprisingly soft and timid. It was such a contrast to the metal body its owner possessed that Greed stopped his pacing.

"Then why're you trying to get your body back, kid? Seems to me like you've got a pretty good deal." Greed grinned. "I mean, you're basically immortal, what's not to like?"

"I don't think it's like what you're imagining." Although the armor was as blank as ever, Greed could hear the frown in its voice.

"Really?" Greed raised a brow skeptically. "The way I see it, you get all the benefits and none of the drawbacks. Think about it: you don't need to eat, don't need to drink, don't need to sleep... why bother putting yourself back into a human body with all of its weaknesses?"

The armor lurched up in anger. Though it didn't move to attack Greed, Martel, Roa, and Dolcetto stepped forward defensively. "How dare you say that?! My brother's out there exhausting himself to restore my body and you say it's all pointless? He has a soulmate! But he's sacrificing that to help me..."

Greed frowned. "Soulmate..." he mumbled.

"Yes. That special connection you'll only ever feel with one person. Two halves to a whole," it whispered. "And I've tried - I want my brother to experience that moment, but he won't hear it," it finished bitterly.

Greed chuckled, then started to laugh hysterically. His crew looked at him in concern while the armor (Greed still didn’t know its name) wondered where the tension went.

When he had finally calmed down from his outburst, the homunculus straightened up and looked right at it. "Thanks, kid." Greed gave it a smile, still sharp but less intimidating than before.

"You're welcome?"

”Come on guys, I’ve finally made up my mind.” Greed beckoned his crew to follow him, leaving the suit of armor confused but otherwise unharmed. “See ya, kid! Tell that brother of yours not to waste his chance!”

Greed certainly wouldn’t. He was the embodiment of his sin and namesake, one that was inherently selfish. It was stupid of him to think that his quest for immortality was anything more than a distraction, as his thoughts would always circle back to his soulmate. His conversation with the yet unnamed suit of armor only renewed the urge to pursue who was at the end of his thread, and he didn’t want to deny it anymore.

He wanted them like nothing else. No one would stand in the way of his avarice.

Except for maybe his soulmate, which he failed to consider.

"Fuck! We have to hurry!"

Greed and his Devil's Nest crew had been on the road for a few days now, with Greed leading the way and no one questioning the invisible thread he was following. The first week was lighthearted, the group alternating between comfortable silence and conversation. This was, in part, due to Greed's exceedingly good mood, the relief in finally trusting fate removing the burden he'd placed on his shoulders.

However, it didn't last very long. By the second week, he was growing increasingly impatient, as it felt like they'd been at it for years and yet the thread still stretched on and on. Now that he'd finally decided to go after his soulmate, he was anxious to meet them.

But on the third day of the third week, he'd become frantic. They had just taken a rest stop at Liore when Greed awoke to his thread flickering in and out of existence. Normally, he wouldn't be too alarmed, since this wasn't the first time it had happened, and it always seemed to resolve itself sooner or later. Unlike all those other times, though, Greed could physically feel the bond weakening. He couldn't explain it, but the sensation of dread gnawed on him.

And that's how he and his crew found themselves at the border separating Amestris and the desert region, drudging across the heavy sand that both pulled them down and slapped against their faces. It only exacerbated Greed's irritability, a dark aura permeating from him that prevented his chimera crew from being too close.

"Boss! I think I see some people over there!"

Greed immediately turned and squinted his eyes into the distance, quickly finding figures darting about near a small rock hill. He looked down to see that his thread, getting more translucent by the second, led to the same place.

"Shit." He muttered. "Let's go," they all leaped into action at Greed's command.

They were met by black-robed figures who quickly turned their attention to them and away from the other black-robed figures (though they had armor and their faces, a young woman and old man, were visible) to deal with the interruption. Unfortunately, their skill and experience were no match for the chimera and homunculi's supernatural abilities, and they were quickly beaten.

Greed then turned his sights to the rock formation where his thread was directing him to. He had only taken a few steps before the woman stepped in front of him in a defensive position. He admired her courage; after all, they had easily bested the people she'd been struggling against, yet she still dared to stop him.

Too bad he was not in an entertaining mood right now.

"Girly, whoever you're hiding behind there is my soulmate, and the only reason I'm not killing you for getting in my way is because you probably mean something to them," Greed glared. "Get out of my way."

Her eyes widened. "Y-you are Master Ling's soulmate?"

"Ling, huh?" Greed tried the name and grinned, "I like it."

Lan Fan blushed and bowed. "I apologize for trying to stop you. Master is not well. One of those assassins managed to deal a fatal blow," she grimaced as she led the group back behind the rock where they found the old man from before pressing a cloth over another man's stab wound.

"Ouch," Bido winced at the sight of copious blood staining the sand.

Greed didn't hesitate and kneeled next to the older man who, to his credit, startled only a little. He gave the homunculus a questioning glance, but Greed didn't even look at him or the others as he purposely stabbed his palm deeply, allowing droplets of his philosopher's stone to seep into Ling's fatal injury. While it didn't heal completely, the blood flow was quickly tapering off and scabbing over.

When the whole process was over, Greed looked at the thread connecting the two of them and sighed in relief. It had gone back to its normal, healthy red, not unlike his philosopher's stone.

He turned to the other man who was staring at him with his mouth open. "How- How did you-"

Greed's answering grin was shark-like. "I got a lot to talk about with your master here."

When Ling woke, two days later, it was to Greed smirking down at him.

"Looks like sleeping beauty's finally awake."

Ling blinked in confusion until the memories came back to him. They had been ambushed, he'd selflessly taken a blow meant for Lan Fan, and... everything went black - but! He jolted up, frantically looking for his bodyguards, before doubling over from the pain coursing through his stomach.

"Woah! Easy there!" Greed moved to help him (ending up awkwardly hovering instead), accidentally knocking his chair over. "You and your lackeys are safe."

Ling took a moment to gather his thoughts. He stared at his supposed savior, whose expression was caught between amusement and concern. Before he could really analyze him and the situation he'd gotten into, he felt a different kind of pain from his stomach. In the silence of the room, the growl was very noticeable.

"...Sorry to ask this of you, especially after everything you've already done, but do you have any food?" The Xingan asked shamelessly.

Greed laughed. Of all things to start with...

"Let me go get some."

Greed watched in equal parts fascination and disgust as Ling inhaled the food that was shortly brought to him. It was no small feat either; he'd eaten enough for a small family in record time. "Geez, you eat like Gluttony."

"Hm..." Ling rubbed his stomach contently. "Who's that?"

Greed snorted and shook his head in clear dismissal. "No one you need to know. Just one of my siblings."

Suddenly, Ling pulled himself up into a formal sitting position, staring at Greed seriously. "I know you've probably heard it from the others already, but thank you. Really. I appreciate that you saved them as well as myself. I owe you my eternal gratitude..."

"Greed," the homunculus filled in with a smirk.

With that hurdle crossed, Ling visibly slumped. “So I guess we should talk about this, huh?” He looked pointedly at the red thread connecting them.

"If you want to," Greed shrugged, "It's not like anything will change."

"Oh?" Ling smirked at him teasingly. In return, Greed leaned forward.

" _I found you, soulmate._ If you think you can get away from me now, you're in for a surprise."

Ling took a minute to think about it. "Okay," he agreed easily, "But, just so you know, I'm not going to give up on my quest for immortality."

Greed frowned, knowing that going down that road could possibly lead them straight to Father. "Pick another goal. That one's nothing but pain, trust me."

Ling looked offended and launched into an explanation about his origins and the struggle for the throne. "...I don't expect you to understand, but this quest is important to me. I'm not just going to stop."

"So that's why our thread flickered sometimes," Greed mused, "People have been trying to kill you since birth."

"Yes. And they're not going to stop until I achieve immortality. No one will be able to stop me from taking the throne then."

Greed sighed and crossed his arms. "Yeah, I figured. Why don't I make you a deal then?"

"What is it?"

"Ling, I've got something to tell you: I'm a homunculus." Greed punctuated this by holding out his arm and allowing his shield to cover his skin while Ling watched fascinated. "I'm not human, which is why I‘m surprised that I have a soulmate at all."

Greed reached over and grabbed Ling's sword from the nightstand. With his other hand, he drove it into his ultimate shield. Predictably, the sword snapped without leaving so much as a scratch on him.

"I'm essentially immortal. I know that's not what you're looking for, but I can help you if you really insist on finding immortality for yourself." Greed retracted his shield. "In exchange for protecting you, I want you to be _mine_ , my possession."

"Are you asking me to date you?"

"If that's what you humans call it, then sure."

Ling snickered. "Okay." He got up, ignoring the slight pain, and climbed into Greed's lap. "How do we make it official?"

The homunculus grinned sharply in victory. "I think this is what humans do," he said and grabbed the Xingan by his collar to bring him down for a kiss. When their lips met, the thread encompassing them began to grow brightly.

They paid it no mind as they had always been able to see it, but now the world could see it too.

Ling had, like always, wandered away from his companions, pursuing nothing in particular. The sun was beating down on him and sapping all of his energy. "Ugh, so hungry," he whined before collapsing in an alley from the heat and hunger.

He sat there for a few minutes, waiting to see if he would be offered help - Greed and the others would kill him, no doubt, for wandering off and forgetting to eat, so he didn’t want to return to them in his current state if he didn’t have to. It was apparently his lucky day, as only seconds after that thought, he was approached by a suit of armor and a short blond-haired kid.

"Are you alright, mister?" The armor spoke in a surprisingly soft tone.

Ling smiled, hand scratching the back of his head in embarrassment. "Do you happen to have money on you for food?"

The two glanced at each other intensely, and Ling could only watch as they had a conversation without speaking. Finally, the shorter one heaved a big sigh before replying, "Fine! He'll come with us."

Ling grinned.

The brothers could only stare incredulously as Ling devoured many plates of food before he was finally satisfied. Though the Xingan didn't give any outward reaction other than his usual smile, he couldn't help but think amusedly that their expressions looked like Greed's when they had first met.

He licked his lips and clapped his hands together. "Thanks for the food! Er...?"

"Alphonse."

"Ed," the shorty huffed.

"Thanks for saving me, Alphonse and Ed," Ling laughed lightheartedly. "I was in big trouble there."

"Yeah, yeah," Ed waved dismissively. "Well, if we're done here-"

"I couldn't help but notice your clothes. You're not from here, are you?" Alphonse interrupted, to Ed's annoyance.

"Oh! Right! I'm Ling and no, I'm from Xing. I came here to learn about alchemy in comparison to Xing's alkahestry."

This caught Ed's attention and he sat back down. "Alkahestry, you say?"

"Yes...?"

Ed and Al looked at each other again before the shorter of the two turned back to him with a serious look. "We're actually alchemists ourselves," he took out his pocket watch and showed it to Ling, "And we're also interested in alkahestry. Mostly with its medicinal benefits. Do you think you could show us?"

"So sorry, but I don't really have any talent for it. I'm afraid I can't help you there," Ling excused to the brothers' disappointment. "Actually, I'm here looking for a way to achieve immortality. My partner," Both brothers glanced at the thread tied at Ling's ankle, "Told me about the philosopher's stone and-"

Ed flinched and began to look around nervously. "Uh, that's a great story and all, but Al and I really have to get going," he said, already getting up.

"Yes! We're sorry, but maybe we'll see you around sometime?" Al offered, as antsy as his brother, before they both beat a hasty retreat.

Ling blinked at their empty seats in surprise before he narrowed his eyes. The two obviously knew more about the stone than they let on and, for Greed's sake, he had to get to the bottom of it. If they were a threat to him or his soulmate, they would have to be dealt with.

The Xingan was able to follow them for some time before Ed sensed there was something amiss. With his cover blown, Ling leapt into battle, wielding his new sword. Ed turned just in time and transformed his arm into its usual pointed shield, using it to block Ling and send him back.

"What do you know about the Philosopher's stone?"

They continued to fight while Alphonse stood there in panicked confusion.

"Like we'd tell you!"

Although the two only had minor injuries as a result of their fight, their surroundings were near destroyed. As Alphonse tried to calm them down, he saw two figures coming their way with incredible speed and strength.

"Pipsqueak, what are you doing!"

"Where have you been, Ling?!"

The two broke away from each other in surprise as they stared at their homunculi soulmates who looked about to explode.

It was Ed who spoke first. "He started it!" He pointed at Ling.

Envy huffed and stomped over. "I seriously leave you for one second-!"

“You again!” Greed shouted, looking at Alphonse.

Envy whirled around. “Greed,” He frowned.

" _You're_ the bastard who stole him?" Ed squinted suspiciously at Greed.

"Oh, Greed-san? Hi?"

"Wait, you know them?"

"Yeah! You should thank it, you know. That piece of armor's the reason why I found you in the first place." Greed said casually, arms crossed behind his head.

Ling turned to Alphonse, smiling. "I guess that's twice now you've saved me!"

"You're welcome-"

"Don't want to interrupt the sweet moment, but we need to have it somewhere else," Envy reminded sarcastically.

Greed grinned. "I know just the place!"

Later, when everyone had fallen asleep from the day's antics, the two homunculi lay awake.

Envy stared at Ling, sprawled on Greed's lap and snoring into his chest, before raising his eyes to meet his brother's. "So I guess you _were_ telling the truth."

Greed rolled his eyes. "I told you I don't make a habit of lying." He nodded to Ed drooling away on Envy's shoulder, careful not to dislodge Ling. "And when did that happen? I thought homunculi didn't get soulmates,” he mocked.

Envy grit his teeth. "Shut up. I really did believe that until mine appeared a few years after yours. And I almost lost it on the same day."

"Hm... does Lust know?"

Envy shook his head. "No, this," he held the thread up, "Is a recent thing. But I'm going to tell her soon. You know we have to."

Greed's mouth tightened into a firm line. "It's not going to be easy."

"No shit. But we've already gotten attached, so... in for a penny, in for a pound."

They stewed in silence for a while when Ed spoke, apparently overhearing the conversation. "You guys are so grim," he said, rubbing the sleep from his eyes, "And stop acting like we're useless! We can all get through this if we work together."

”Awww, that's sweet, chibi-chan,” Envy teased. “Don’t worry, I’ll make sure no one touches a hair on your little head~”

”WHO ARE YOU CALLING-“ The 'chibi' started to yell, offended, before he was hushed as Envy gestured to the sleeping forms of the others with a smirk.

Greed shook his head at them, though still smiling. He felt his chest rumble as Ling cleared his throat. Greed looked at him as he played with the thread tying them together.

"He's right, you know," Ling looked up at him with an uncharacteristically serious expression, "You promised whatever happens, we'd do it together."

"Yeah, I did," Greed replied fondly.

And as he looked around him, surrounded by the bodies of his comrades alive and well, he'd never felt more thankful for fate leading him there.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you liked it, TereziMakara! I just love the homunculi. They deserved better than the Father they got.


End file.
